Ski area officials refute pat-down stories

Ski area officials deny search allegations by Denver Post, 5280

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Steamboat Springs  Steamboat Ski Area officials said the resort isn’t performing pat-downs and searches on gondola riders, contrary to information that appeared in an editorial in Friday’s Denver Post.

The Post quoted an article in the December edition of Denver’s 5280 magazine, “Long arm of the law,” by Steamboat Springs resident Kelly Bastone. The article sets a scene where ski area security officials are conducting searches in which patrons must “unzip, de-layer, and turn out their pockets” and reveal the contents of their backpacks. Those who refuse aren’t allowed to use the lifts, the article states.

But Steamboat Ski and Re­­sort Corp. officials said they’re performing no such searches and sent the Denver Post a letter expressing disappointment in the editorial.

“The recent editorial regarding increased law enforcement at ski resorts is seriously misleading and based on an inaccurate article in 5280 magazine,” the letter states. “The 5280 article neglected to mention that increased law enforcement only occurred on April Fools’ and Closing Day and was a necessary and prudent response to inappropriate and sometimes threatening behaviors and excessive alcohol use experienced on these two specific days in prior seasons.”

Spokesman Mike Lane said the ski area does not do physical searches. Rob Perlman, Ski Corp.’s vice president of sales and marketing, said the ski area searches bags for alcohol only Closing Day and April Fools’ Day, sometimes called Gaper Day.

“That was becoming out of control,” Perlman said. “We took what we believe were prudent steps to curb that inappropriate behavior toward other guests. Safety is our No. 1 priority, and we’re all about having fun in a safe manner.”

Some skiers and snowboarders had been involved in fights, assaults with ski poles and snowball throwing in the past, he said. Lane said the larger community recognized that some people were causing problems and appreciated the crackdown.

The searches are allowed because the ski area owns the gondola and chairlifts, which the Denver Post noted in its editorial.

Bastone acknow­ledged the safety issue and said she stood by her article.

“I think in my 5280 article, I gave voice to those concerns,” she said Friday.

She also said her article was meant to summarize an industrywide trend toward stricter enforcement. Bastone said she had been physically searched at Steamboat Ski Area on days other than April Fools’ Day or Closing Day, but she declined to provide specifics about those instances.

“I’m aware that’s something that doesn’t happen every day, but it’s something that’s a policy certainly in the spring,” Bastone said about searches and pat-downs.

She also said she hadn’t read the Denver Post’s editorial.

“My intention was simply to relate things as accurately as possible, so if … readers assumed from one incident that that happens every day, that I can’t control,” Bastone said.

In addition to sending the letter, Ski Corp. officials said they spent the day on the phone with Denver Post leadership. Perlman said the resort was in the process of contacting 5280.

“We’ve received quite a few phone calls and e-mails today, and that affects not only the resort but the community,” Perlman said.

Sgt. Rich Brown, of the Steamboat Springs Police De­­part­­ment, said Ski Corp. sometimes pays officers to stand by while staff members inspect bags. He said officers haven’t been doing pat-downs at the ski area and don’t have people turn out their pockets.

“Oh, no, we don’t do any of that,” Brown said. “We go up and assist them with security. Their staff usually does anything related to checking for alcohol containers and stuff.”

Drug concerns

At least one Steamboat resident thinks pat-downs might not be a bad idea.

Harvey Lyon said his 15-year-old daughter was riding the gondola with two young men when they started smoking marijuana. She didn’t feel comfortable protesting, Lyon said, and she was stuck in the situation. He also noted that she is an athlete who didn’t want to be subject to the influence of marijuana.

“There is a good argument for pat-downs and stuff because people aren’t being responsible,” he said. “If this is happening, it wouldn’t bother me at all if they did searches and stuff because I don’t want to be skiing with guys that are high or snowboarding with guys that are high, and I don’t want my daughter trapped with guys that are high.”

Lane, the Ski Corp. spokesman, encouraged people to speak up about such incidents.

“We’re always open to hear from guests,” he said. “If their experience isn’t what they wanted it to be, we want them to let us know.”

Lane said people with concerns should call the ski area at 970-879-6111. On the mountain, people can contact any staff member or Steamboat Ski Patrol.

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Comments

Here are the first three paragraphs if the 5280 article:
"It’s a windless morning at Steamboat Ski Resort, and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” pulses through a bright Gondola Square. Shuffling across the slushy snow, skiers line up to board the Steamboat Gondola, but first they must unzip, de-layer, and turn out their pockets. Like travelers at Denver International Airport, these would-be gondola riders must run through a gauntlet of security checkpoints before taking to the skies.

After ticket scanners confirm that skiers’ lift passes are legit, a panel of uniformed police officers pats everyone down and inspects backpacks for contraband such as alcohol. Refuse the search, and that $97 day-ticket becomes null and void. Still, on this bluebird day, one baby boomer flexes his ’60s-honed flower power and bucks the system. “You don’t have any right to search me!” he shouts. Throughout the loading zone, heads swivel toward the lone renegade. The cops try to respond to him in hushed tones. But he won’t be quieted. “You have no right!” he repeats.

But under its permitted lease agreement with the US Forest Service, which grants the resort rights similar to private ownership, Steamboat can legally search its paying customers. After the police explain this, the man decides that resisting the invasion of privacy seems more compelling than skiing slush. He storms out into the sunshine, his skis and head held high."

By not saying that this was an announced search on a day that notoriously has problems with drugs and alcohol use and by making the analogy to airport security, something that happens everyday, the author is not, as she says, "relat[ing] things as accurately as possible," but is instead making strong implications that these searches happen everyday or unannounced, both of which are incorrect.

I have lived and skied in Steamboat for the last 10 years and have never been patted down or asked to open my coat and only on specific days where extra security has been announced, so I know what to expect, has my pack been looked into.

Articles like this with weak defenses like, "I can't control what the reader thinks" do journalism, and in this case the Steamboat Ski area, a disservice.

Personally, my favorite part is the concerned father at the end. Listen, just because someone uses cannabis, doesn't mean that they're automatically inclined to do ill-will/harm to you or anyone in your family. You've obviously watched reefer madness one too many times and have, yourself, bought into all of the BS propaganda about cannabis.
Maybe if you're daughter had been taught to immediately contact the authorities(maybe security at the top o' the Gondola) in that case, justice would have had a more appealing hew to you. Your daughter shouldn't have to be forcefully exposed to cannabis, but she should be trained on what to do if someone ever does do that to her.
And as for not wanting to be on the slopes with people that may be under the influence of cannabis.....maybe you should explore some very, very distant slopes. You'll be hard pressed to find any 100% cannabis free slopes anywhere around here, maybe even in the world.

Wow Kelly, if this is Steamboat, why do you still live here? In all 17 years of both living here and having a pass here, I have NEVER seen this! Your article is an injustice to our community. If I and everyone else who truly takes advantage of the mountain remember correctly, there were some young transients that were overly aggressive and rude to some tourists during one specific day: Gaper day. As a precaution, they tightened the base area down for 1 day. This was done to eliminate this sort of behavior in a tourism driven town. No one who truly cares about this community were put out by this gesture. In fact, most locals were ashamed that these idiots had acted this way. Steamboat is a great place to live and play, do us a favor and do not portray us in any other way!

Wow, mmj, of course that is your favorite part, but let's make a few general assumptions:

All of the gentlemen that were allegedly smoking in the gondola car all had medical marijuana licenses and are legally allowed to smoke "cannabis."

The young lady also has a medical marijuana card and agreed to let these gentlemen smoke in the car.

Neither of these things matter, because according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Statute 0-4-287, Article 18, Section 14.5a, no patient may engage in the medical use of marijuana in plain view of, or in a place open to, the general public. Even still, since the Steamboat ski area is a privately owned company whose policy clearly admonishes the use of controlled substances on their property, including the gondola cars.

Regardless of your stance on legalizing marijuana, the fact that these guys (and possibly girl) blatantly disregarded the regulations in place make me wonder what else they are disregarding on the mountain.

Also, the fact that the only thing you paid attention to in these articles is the father trying to protect his daughter from marijuana is ridiculous considering the egregious claims Kelly Bastone is making about the imaginary Draconian actions of ski area security, which in turn can hurt our economy when people decide to skip Steamboat in lieu of another "less invasive" ski community.

Thanks Kelly, I've been looking for a way to scare off potential drive up tourists from crowding our mountain like they do in Summit county. You beat me to it with your exagerated story of pat-downs and security checkpoints. Like jmm I've been here 18+ seasons and have seen this only once..and they were just looking in packs for beer, noone was patting down anyone or asking for your jacket to be unzipped. But let's not let something as silly as the truth stop this great anti-tourism rumor.

No smoking in the Gondola or on the lifts, that goes for potheads and peer pressured cigarette smokers.
You have no right to do it and to make those around you who are stuck on the chair behind or in the gondola breath that crap is purely inconsiderate.

It has nothing to do with what capacity the cannabis was used in, whether medicinally or recreationally. Medical cards are irrelevant here.

If you BAFFOONS would actually read things, instead of just shooting from the hip, maybe you'd be able to make some valid points.
What I stated was that those two "gentlemen" had absolutely ZERO right to spark up in front of that mans daughter. They were wrong in doing so, most especially in such tight quarters as a gondola car. That should never be forced on anyone, anywhere.
I even went so far as to say that she should have contacted the authorities about the incident. How many mmj patients(or just cannabis users) do you know that would say someone should call the authorities on other cannabis users? My guess is, not many.

So why don't all you pompous, stuck-up, better-than-most-everyone-else types go and find somewhere else to hop up on your soap-box of anti-cannabis sentiment.

Wow, what a mess! Really, Kelly? You sold Steamboat out to get published in some high gloss magazine? I have lived and skied here for over 30 years and while there are some things I would like to complain about the ski area (do I really have to hike Duster back from One O'clock when the snow is so good? j/k) being searched or patted down is not even remotely close to one of them. I, personally have never experienced it or even seen it. It is with bated breath that I await your next writing endeavor that should be titled "Eating Crow".

I thought so mmj, if you were not in such a fog you would remember what you wrote above where you laid the responsibility on the young victim and her parents.
Everyone but the potheads.
I doubt that the young girl ever heard of refer madness.
The constant tirades you respond with are pretty amazing, as if people who like to stay away from being buzzed or high are not worthy of respect, just name calling and ire from the mmj crowd.
Get high on life and enjoy the fresh air on your distant imaginary slopes.

Another great example of the pilot's subserviance to local business, especially the ski mountain.

Personally, I have had my backpack searched & my coat pockets patted. Not that I believe in profiling, but I am not some young park rat & I do find this type of security offensive. On St. Patty's day, I have seen police in bullet proof vests carrying sidearms, patrolling the igloo area, breaking up a very laid back gathering where no one was behaving drunk or belligerent.

It should be acknowledged that alcohol is the main problem from a safety perspective. MJ's ubiquitous presence in stmbt often gets the attention but it's the coordination dulling, confidence building, socially disruptive alcohol that constitutes the primary problem. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE MT IS SELLING ALCOHOL ON THE MOUNTAIN!

So, thank you Kelly, for publicizing a mountain policy that they are embarrassed enough about to take these kind of efforts to discredit. Those who spend a lot of time up there know that this is a real issue, one that did not exist 5 years ago, and one that treats recreators & troublemakers alike as common criminals.

see-
Really? Are you serious?
How many different times and ways do I need to say that those two guys were WRONG for lighting up in front of that girl, especially in a situation where she doesn't have an easy egress from the situation.
However, I did advise the father to teach his little girl what to do in those situations. CALL/CONTACT the cops or security or whoever!

And you're telling me that I'm blaming the father or the little girl? How dare you!!!
I wasn't even referring to the young lady when I made that Reefer Madness comment. Maybe you're in a fog of your own?

I had used the medical marijuana example in order to give everyone involved the benefit of the doubt that it was obtained legally, which would have hopefully knocked out the OH MY GOD, IT'S ILLEGAL argument. Never once did I state that I am anti-marijuana, because I am not. I do, however, feel it is inappropriate to use in public...but i also feel that way about cigarettes and axe body spray. This we apparently agree on. None of those things should be experienced in close quarters.

However, you missed the entire point of the article, focusing on an anecdote at the end (which even I rolled my eyes at) and put yourself on your own soapbox. You know what else is BS propaganda? A woman making unfounded claims about over- invasive security that is making people want to boycott our town. So before you yourself make accusatory assumptions, resort to name calling, and suggest that we ski elsewhere if we don't like the possibility of marijuana smokers on our mountain, focus on what's important instead of a mild and misguided testimony of one man's experience.

I think the message from ski corp the last couple of years is this. "As long as you spend money in our bars and get loaded there, it's A-ok to drink and ski."
Anyone remember the illegal searches at the top of the Gondy a few years back. Those cases were thrown out of court, were they not?

I think the moral of the story is this...
There are a few "holidays" in which the drinking has gotten out of control and the safety of everyone has become first and foremost. It's okay that the resort sells alcohol, let's not forget this IS a vacation destination. The intent is for those of us that can drink responsibly (not those that simply drink to get drunk, become rude and beligerant to others, and make a mockery of all the good folks that bust their butts to make the mountain a place that people want to come to visit). I would venture to say too that, most likely those irresponsible drinkers are packing there own brand of alcohol up the lifts because they don't want to pay the asking price for a drink at one of the establishments on the hill, hence the "check point". The "holidays" you can expect extra patrol on the mountain are no secret, St. Paddy's, Gaper, and I believe there is one more, maybe it's closing day?
I for one, appriciate the efforts put in place and would rather NOT be skiing with a bunch of out of control drunks or stoners who may very well land you or I in the hospital with God only knows what kind of injuries..
I was there and witnessed the gentleman who was upset that his backpack was going to be checked. His wife didn't have a problem with it, she just wanted to get to skiing. He on the otherhand, had to make a point, he stormed off to put his backpack in his car, only to return after waisting valuable ski time! What's the problem, it's about the safetly of ALL the guests; locals, employees, and tourists (which by the way is our lifeblood in this SKI TOWN), also known around the world as SKI TOWN USA!
It seems to me that the actions of a few have caused an inconvenience for the whole lot. You can thank your fellow skiers, the ones that feels he/she can't get through a fun day on the mountain without being out of their mind drunk or stoned.

Now if it is OK for Steamboat ski area to conduct strip searches then next time your in line to pay for groceries at City Market well why not get searched there too?
But wait until you pay for your groceries and are ready to leave the store then they got you.
I was searched and had all my food being handled and juggled in line with no place to put these items except for them falling on the ground and getting filthy. Then the police guy? wanted to inspect my water bottle that contained tea. so he opened it up and put his nose to it a few times. Do you think that was a pleasant start to a day of skiing???
GROSS!!!!!
People want to enjoy their vacation not be treated as criminals!!!!
Let's do pat downs at the bank or going into the hospital or any store???
Car dealership??

Clearsky...When you're standing in line at the grocery store you don't generally have drunk-tards skiing or riding around or over you.... Nor does that happen at the bank, or hospital....see a pattern?? This isn't rocket science, it's safety. This didn't just come to pass because someone thought it would be a good idea, people have been injured. I personally don't enjoy listening to a bunch of foul mouth drunk or stoned idiots making ALL of us look bad. I'll bet you don't fly much....

See...
Missed your nap again today? Why drag your dislike for a local establishment into the commentary of an unrelated article? Did you get kicked out of the T Bar for being a drunken baffoon? Trace does a good job up there and I'm sure if better real estate were available at the base area, his clientele could support the raise in rent. Maybe you should smoke a fat blunt before posting anything else, it surely can't hurt your credibility, and may make you a little bit less hateful. Peace

I'm for ALL alcohol to be banned from the ski area. sking drunk or imapired is as dangerous to other skiers (kids mostly) as driving imapired or drunk. it's probably more dangerous as a kid being hit by a 200 lb drunk man does not have a roll cage or air bags

as for the Tbar...at least the boozers are down and are less likely to ski into someone and kill a kid or seriously maim or kill an adult. You should check with ski patrol about how many accidents are caused by drunk people. that news doesn't get out much as it would hurt ski corp rep. it's actually quite sick

the ski area is a bunch of hypocrites who are only OK with alcohol if they are making money on it.

oh and I adore the T bar.

INSTBDEEP>>>you are entirely wrong about the stoker clientele not going to the t Bar. I am talking long time locals at the stoker who sit there and do shot after shot after shot (with a beer at every shot) then ski around drunk off of their arse.

First off, I'm on Kelly's side. Lets not kid ourselves, the pat down's are rather lame. Furthermore, its not just the pat downs, its the hired gun "Forest Service Cops" that think they are out of a Walking Tall movie. I have personally witnessed these guys, harass undeserving skiiers. Yeah there are people out there that are idiots and need to pay for their actions, but they are not the only people, that are subject to some of the unreasonableness of the Forest Service Brigade. In other words if Ski Corp decides this is the only answer, they need to be more respectful. Back off on the police influence a bit, it has been quite ridiculous on more than one occasion. I know I can speak for a large group who are probably not blogging.

Also if Steamboat is such the family resort, will this really effect peoples opinions on the front range?

I do have to say though, MMJ Patient, if you think that Harvey Lyon should have his daughter be "trained on what to do if someone ever does do that to her." you are stoned. Anything Ski Corp does is not as lame as some burner lighting up in the gondola, without the willful consent of any other person in there. Like they can't wait 15 more minutes to get stoned.

All I was trying to say was that that man's daughter should know how to handle herself in those situations. Basically, I was saying that she should have called the cops or security on those idiots for being so wreckless and irresponsible.
Again, how many times do I need to exclaim that those bone-heads should NEVER have lit up in front of her in the first place? How many different ways do you people need to hear it(or read it) before you'll stop obligatorily jumping on my case, seemingly, simply on the grounds that I choose cannabis over a lot of things?

And without a doubt, people shouldn't be intoxicated while barrelling down the slopes, anywhere. But I'd much rather be downhill from someone that's had a few tokes, than someone that's had a few too many alcoholic drinks, any day of the week.

BillyD-You should look at the comments on the Denver Post article. The people who suggested boycotting Steamboat got more "thumbs up" and the locals who wrote in to refute the claims got more "thumbs down." People are taking notice, and with the whole TSA complaints going on, likening us to TSA will not help our approval ratings.

Simple! Stop selling alcohol at the ski area. Strip search everyone after they pay for their pass and have entered the line, do urine tests, and alcohol breath tests on all men women and children. That should squeeze every bit of fun out of everyone except the Puritanical tyrants.

Kelly,
I am sure there are other ski areas that will have you. I have been here 8 seasons and have never had an issue with it. Get over yourself and your "rights". The next thing you will be claiming is some constitutional right infringement. Don't sh*t where you sleep. I have never been patted down and i don't take a backpack up on days where out of control telemarkers/skiers/boarders (see i got all of them in there) are drinking, smoking weed and causing havoc.
"I'm local bro, don't tread on me".........get over yourself.
You made Steamboat out to look like a police state, and you know damn well it isn't.

SKI CORP = Biggest hypocrites on the planet ..and now liars ...I have witnessed pat downs and searches many times

Hey I'm for no alcohol on the mountain for sure....so if Ski Corp. was really serious about our safety and the safety of it's guests and children then Ski Corp would stop selling alcohol on the mountain ....so it's ok to get falling down drunk at the ski area as long as you get drunk on their booze....I've seen plenty of over the line drunks fall out of the Stoker daily ....clean up your act Ski Corp

Has there ever been a situation where a "drunk" or "stoned" skier hurt someone else on the mountain?Just wondering. I remember stories of people attacking others and punching them in the face because they supposably " skied to closely" or some other stupid reason. And I'm gonna guess that guy (father of a young child)was entirely too sober, and stressed out like many familys are when on vacation.
P.s Alcohol sux.

"Gaper" brings his wife and two kids here for a week and spends $10K. "Local" gets season passes, so it takes him 11 years to spend as much money. "Gaper" is happy to be here. "Local" is offended that "Gaper" and his family are on THEIR ski mountain, and goes out of his way to make "Gaper" feel unwelcome. "Local" becomes the target of the ski area management.

Sorry, "Local", but if you can't figure out which side your bread is buttered on, it's time to move along............

bellyup, your statement isn't logical. You use "local" to describe the select individuals creating problems and then go on to say that local becomes the target of ski area management. You couldn't be more wrong. These searches target everyone and that's the basis of the complaints. If they wanted to target the people causing problems, they'd charge them for public intoxication or assault.

They don't search everyone. I always ski with a large backpack loaded with juice, chocolate, fruit, sausage, chips, extra gloves, scarves, goggle lenses, and often with 2 pairs of junior size skis strapped to it coming in from the shuttle. When the security guy said he wanted to see what was in it a couple of years ago, as I tried to keep my young boys under control, I just replied "no, you really don't". He said "you're right" and waved me through. (Just like Obi Wan Kanobi.)